Sex education has been an important part of my life. I can still remember the first time a teacher taught me about it in 5th grade. I remember in 10th grade, kids would hand me their questions that they were too embarrassed to ask in class. When I was in college, I handed out on condoms in the breezeway and gave demonstrations on safer sex. In my adult life, I spent a few years working for a nonprofit that assisted Hollywood with sexual health issues. I know it is important, but others think if we sweep it under the rug it will go away. Sex has been around since the Adam & Eve, and it ain’t going away as much as people want it to. Yet, many parents can’t talk to their kids about it. To make matters worse, they don’t want schools to talk about it either. So where are they are going to learn to protect themselves?
Yesterday, John Oliver took on that issue on his HBO show Last Week Tonight and he elaborated about it better than I ever can. The way he talks about it makes sense, the way I express it comes out with anger. How can states tell kids, it is not OK to be gay? Or tell them that abstinence is the only way. It is the best way, not the only way. We need to protect the next generation. Because let’s be honest how many of you waited until your wedding night? How many of you were prepared for your first time? Don’t you want your loved ones to know how to use a condom, so that their risk of an STD and/or pregnancy is greatly reduced. What happens if you don’t talk to your kids about sex? I don’t maybe something like what allegedly happened to The Duggars.
I am not saying that kids should have sex, I am saying they should be aware of their options. Talking to kids about sex doesn’t mean that they are going to run to do it. It just means they will be prepared when they do.
